According to a recent article in PC World, over the next five years it is
predicted that U.S. businesses will need 21 million new information
technology (IT) workers. To help meet the growing need for a strong IT
workforce, the University of Wisconsin-Wisconsin together with the Business
and Education Advisory Board of Washington High School of Information
Technology in Milwaukee, is sponsoring an IT career fair from 9 a.m. to
noon, Thursday, March 22, at the Washington High School of Information
Technology.
The ³iFair² will provide informative and educational experiences while
promoting careers in IT to students primarily in grades seven through nine.
Set up like a tradeshow, local businesses will discuss with students the
world of IT. Hands-on technology labs, classroom visits and robotic
demonstrations will be at the ³iFair.² Company sponsors to be in attendance
at the iFair include: Apple Inc., General Electric, Quad-Graphics, Rockwell
Automation, Harley-Davidson, Best Buy, Northwestern Mutual and many more.
³Studies have shown that students coming out of grade school enjoy science
and math which is important in the IT field,² Bob Horton, professor and
coordinator of management computer systems at UW-Whitewater, said. ³Middle
school is where most of our emphasis will be at this fair. We feel that if
we start early enough we can generate a greater response from students in
considering careers in IT.²
According to Horton, the effect of the Baby Boomer¹s retiring is only part
of the reason for the decrease in IT employment. ³Due to the negative
publicity over the last few years, including the dot.com bust in 2000 and
offshoring, it¹s been harder to recruit people into the IT field. The
ŒiFair¹ is to formally introduce students to the IT field. Currently, there
are more IT positions available than ever before, and by 2012, five of the
top 10 fastest growing occupations will be IT related.²
Horton and other IT professors are trying to develop two more ³iFairs² by
the end of this year — one at Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee and another in
Madison. Horton expects the upcoming ³iFair² to generate a high amount of
interest among the expected 350-500 Milwaukee Public School middle school
students in attendance.
For more information, contact Horton at (262) 472-1467 or hortonb@uww.edu.
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